Embracing the Darkness Within

[Kenrath]

Vengeance closed his eyes for a moment taking a deep breath before addressing [member="Kylath Connar Amadis"] first. His voice still held a bit of an edge but the volume was conversational.

"You are not in charge you do not give Commands here." "These are my men not yours." "The next time you raise a hand or your voice to one of my men I will feed you to the Swamps." "Clear enough for you?" "Jump into a fight you know nothing about thinking yourself invisible and you will quickly find the opposite to be true." "I doubt very seriously you can swim better than it can."

He paused.

"Standard Operating Procedures." "Fan out wide, push out scouts, and more importantly engage hostiles before they have a chance to engage us." "You insult his sacrifice by your very actions." "A wise woman once told me on this very planet these men may be the only thing between you are death." "It would be wise to treat them as such."


He then turned to [member="Sera Inkari"] giving her a look.

"An Army without it's leader is doomed to fail and in it's failure doom you to share it's fate." "You think you know horror?" "Interfere with the Captain or any of his men again and I will show you a horror of the likes you have never imagined in your life."

Vengeance turned as the LT walked up telling him the Captain was largely fine but would need a little more time before he was combat ready. Vengeance nodded.

"It is getting late and we do not want to get caught out in the open at night." "There is a cave nearby where we can rest for the evening."

Vengeance looked at both Acolytes as the Troopers got ready to move out again.

 

[Sera Inkari]

From below her hood and distant, Sera's individualism flared once more, passivity finding a mild temper which brought a stern glance, mellowing upon her tanned features into an accepting smile. “Of course my Master,” her voice offered, sowing the seeds of personality where before there was only the need to be everything to all people at the same time. Hazards of the job and her nature, not unlike her former companion Natoline suffered from, only her nature was often shown in reverse.

Contrasting Connar, there was little compassion for those lost truthfully, more concern for her position and ability to sense their waking course, or lack demonstrated of recognizing her Master's will which concerned her deeply more than anything. Pulling her hood over her fiery locks to better seat her features in the Sith's colors, her steps were carefully placed to show submission to his will while cover motive, and her smile all the more gratifying to look at in just how pleasing it coveted to be.

While they walked toward the cave, Sera had gathered firewood silently along their path, saying nothing and held a non committal bearing, preferring the silent approach to show obedience and risk no misstep in deed or expression. When at the entrance she waited patiently, arms full of dry fuel to warm them for the night.

[member="Vengeance"]​

 

[Darth Centax]

Insult his sacrifice, threw up one part guilt another part incredible anger, he pulled at the strings which motivated Kylath. There was tension through the entirety of the young man, he valued their lives higher than anything, if he had been any other man Kylath would have either struck or walked away, that much might be clear inside the young impetuous Sith in the cutting look he gave his Master.

If anything he cared for them too much, which might be his undoing. “I treat them as nothing less than my brothers and sisters.” Kylath said back deadpan, emotion crushed into his voice, and pushed down inside of him. He would never flippantly harm one of them as Sera did, and watching her act had made him loath the woman, but his own developing sense of honor and the Sith code drew down into his gut. It was of course inspired by his Master, and shaped by him as they traveled together, events also pulling him to shape what he would become.

After his Master had either punished, disemboweled him or something else perhaps equally befitting the outburst, the Sith followed on at the side of the group seething, pushing on toward the cave. His feelings and want to protect his fellow troopers, slowly showing the very first signs of being turned by the darker energies they naturally worked with.

[member="Vengeance"]​

Spoiler

Great posts so far! Excuse Ky!

 

[Kenrath]

Vengeance walked in silence until they got to the cave. He paused at the entrance looking at the Troopers with a nod. They split up into two groups One group pushed forward into the cave clearing it to make sure it was safe. The second group maintained a perimeter. During which Vengeance turned to the two Acolytes.

"Once it is clear you two get some rest." "The Troopers will set up a watch rotation to make sure we are not interrupted or at the very least taken by surprise." "It is a large cave..........a series of small caves actually but the point is do not wander away from the entrance."

He turned to look at [member="Kylath Connar Amadis"] with a nod.

"If you wish to take a watch you can do so closer to morning."

He then turned to look at [member="Sera Inkari"] for a moment. His head kind of cocked to the side looking at the wood in her arms. He chuckled slightly before he turned as the Troopers returned. The lead scout giving Vengeance a nod. He smiled stepping into the cave going about 20 feet in before he turned and waited for the rest to join him. His hands were clasped behind his back. He watched the Troopers spread out in a large circle to leave Vengeance and the Acolytes in the center but with more than enough room to spread out.

 

[Sera Inkari]

Small gestures brought alleviation, her head dipped at Vengeance's chuckle, and she brought her offering to lay it central, stacking part of their wood and leaving some of their fuel for later. “On Kintan there was never need for fire,” the priestess said as she struggled to start their flames burning, rare moments of external self reflection. Though Kintan were a temperate world, she'd live in a long rolling desert, much of her planet still barren from the effects of a supernova which altered its people all those years ago, and if you were caught outside at night fire wasn't going to save you from sharp drops in temperature such a place brought. Life which bred harsh people often, or could lead to fatalism in their outlook.

Momentary ignorance was corrected by her use of the force, in her defense she had been trying to do as her Master commanded, and use her physical gifts first, which certainly needed more polishing. A technique she'd learned back at the temple, yet to be perfected, alter environment: fire. Outstretching her hand, her deep blue eyes focused on the air around the wood, oxygen, slowly it began to spark and light. An alteration of the environment to cause flames to catch the wood, and burn brightly ahead of them all, though it took some exertion from the acolyte and you could perhaps feel her tire further when she'd finished.

Folding her clothing back to her lap, she took stock of their cave, reaching out her senses to hopefully give word if any danger approached. Rest her Master had asked of her, for the first time he'd see her rest, or not depending on his definition. Dreamwalking, could be physically done or mentally done, and as her eyes closed to rest her body, her mind and connection to the force became enhanced.

[member="Vengeance"]​

 

[Darth Centax]

Gnawing guilt flowed inward for his outburst, but the young Sith cast it aside when they'd reached the cave, determined to learn from the lessons as they went, he still had that tribal boyhood nature in him threatening to just wreck his academy training, which sometimes was the case when youth was snatched from their family, leaving part of the past undeveloped or unrefined.

“Yes Vengeance,” Kylath said with significantly less emotion, having time to reflect on his outbursts and just how they might fracture his further teachings.

When he'd calmed down. Kylath put himself up somewhere overlooking his master, the captain, and the other one (Sera), although he was to sleep, his Master might note that Kylath had taken an interest in keeping all of them alive, which extended to his Master, positioning himself facing as many exits or entrances as he could. A very Amadis thing to do, to play that role, even the red witch, no matter if he disliked her was under his protection. Much to assume for one so young, perhaps it was Sith to claim ownership over their protection, whether anyone really wanted it or not, but you had to be able to read the subtle degrees as to how the darkside took hold to see such familiar signals.

For all that complexity beginning to engulf the young man, he had soon taken a page out of Kelon's book, and found himself resting carefree to it all, relaxing back, “the academy, we had no need for firewood either, it was all powercells and heated metal.” Back against some stone for stability, he prepared himself for rest, timer set on his wrist to vibrate and wake him for guard duty come time.

[member="Vengeance"]​

 

[Kenrath]

Vengeance smiled watching them. He nodded at their responses watching [member="Sera Inkari"] build a fire. He found it amusing that she would use the force to do so and not do it herself. He knew she was still very much dependent on the use of the Force. For a moment he actually wished he had taken them to a place where the ability to use the Force did not exist. He shrugged for a moment before turning back to watch [member="Kylath Connar Amadis"] settle in to get some rest before taking a watch himself.


He watched for a few hours until everyone but the Captain and one other Trooper was asleep. He moved towards them men looking at the Captain.

"Remember your mission Captain." "It is time."

He smiled to the man lightly clasping him on the shoulder before he disappeared out into the Darkness. He didn't turn back he didn't speak. He simply pulled his hood over his head and disappeared out into the swamps. The Acolytes would not understand what he was doing anyway nor would why he was doing it.

When the young Acolyte woke up for his watch Vengeance would be gone all that remained was a single datapad that could only be activated by [member="Vaulkhar"] as it contained a personal message for the man. The Captain would still be awake to answer any questions and make sure they made it to the Cave intact.

 

[Vaulkhar]

For whatever reason, Vaulkhar has failed to respond to this thread in some time. Vaulkhar is sorry.....

Queue post:

Vaulkhar awoke early in the morning, some few hours after [member="Vengeance"] had left the site. Almost immediately after waking up, the young man could feel the disappearance of Vengeance, but with how much time had past, there was nothing within the force for the young man to track. Seeking out even the faintest of force signatures or echos of his former master, he soon came to the conclusion there indeed was nothing. Shrugging his shoulder slightly, Vaulkhar turned around the area, taking in the surroundings with a perked brow. Both of Vengeance's new acolytes were still resting. Which could be either a good or bad sign. Then again, the captain and his men were also here. Which meant Vengeance likely went off alone, as they would of been alerted to an attack.

Taking a deep breath, Vaulkhar moved towards the captain of their guard, nodding in greeting as he neared.

"Greetings captain. Do you happen to have any knowledge on where Vengeance has disappeared to?"

[member="Kylath Connar Amadis"] | [member="Sera Inkari"]

 

[Kenrath]

The Captain briefly snapped to attention before he extended a datapad to [member="Vaulkhar"] with a nod.

"He left this for you............."

He paused for a moment to let him read what was on the pad.

Spoiler: IC knowledge for Vaulkhar only

Vaulkhar,

I know this is probably not going to make sense and you may not understand. There comes a time when a man as to look back on what he has done and what he stands for and see if they match up. In my case they don't. You were my first Apprentice and despite everything I am very proud of you. You are my legacy in this life and it is a legacy I can definitely live with. Keep your head up and never compromise who you are................not for anyone.

As soon as Vaulkhar looked up the Captain would speak again.

"He asked me to make sure your guys made it to the cave and then back to the ship afterwards." "He was pretty insistent on proceeding to the cave as planned. Said it was imperative for your training."

[member="Kylath Connar Amadis"] [member="Sera Inkari"]

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar nodded in response to the captain of the guard as he was handed the datapad. Moving away from the camp, he sat among the trees in silence and went over the datapad alone. After the first inspection of it, he went over it several more times, searching for anything that could clue the young man in to what was going on. Finding nothing, he slipped the device into his pack and made his way back towards the camp. By now, those guards who managed to rest throughout the night were beginning to waken, which meant it was time to begin their mission once more. Vaulkhar approached the captain and nodded.

"Prepare the troops, we shall begin our journey cave as soon as possible."

With that, Vaulkhar turned away and moved towards the resting acolytes. As he neared, the young man cleared his throat and motioned for a nearby soldier. In response then soldier nodded and let loose a few different bolts into nearby foliage, with the specific purpose of waking the sleeping acolytes.

"Acolytes, awaken." Vaulkhar's voice would carry across the area, meant to awaken both of them, no matter how far apart the two of them were. "We are to continue this journey. If we hurry along we could likely reach the caves by this evening." Not awaiting a response, Vaulkhar moved towards the guards, who quickly and efficiently broken down the camp. Without warning, he set off. The guard captain led the procession with Vaulkhar at his side, deep in contemplation. Worry was etched into his face, along with confusion.

[member="Kylath Connar Amadis"] | [member="Sera Inkari"] | [member="Vengeance"]